Explore every episode of the podcast Aesthetics of Living Podcast

Here is the voiceover of my Substack article titled How I Saved Millions With One Design Decision - A defining aesthetics story

Excerpt;

In 2008, in a site office in Abu Dhabi’s Al Raha district, I was sitting in a high level meeting with the CEO, COO and main stakeholders of Aldar Properties. Aldar had recently employed me as their Head of Design. Our architects were pitching us an idea they had for a plot of land next to one of our flagship properties, which was then on site, the iconic ‘HQ’ building they had designed.

Here is the written article with all the photos, links etc

Asymmetry is not the absence of symmetry.

In interior design it is very intentional and the weight of one side is carefully looked at to get a composition right.

Symmetry is used to suggest power, certainty and permanence because pairing reads as static and therefore at rest. Squares and cubes are inherently static shapes. This may make your space or building feel restful but perhaps a bit dull, if that isn't desired.

To give a space more life, suggesting activity, movement and flow then use the principle of asymmetry. Making a dynamic composition encourages the eye to explore. Why would this be desirable?

Asymmetry requires a higher order of thinking, our brain needs to work a little to appreciate the ‘disturbance’. To give a DOPAMINE release we can design-in an uplift in thinking. After a day of mundaneness it may be a desirable thing to turn a corner in your home and view a scheme/vista/arrangement that raises the bar; viewing a higher order of aesthetic arrangement is pleasing for this reason.

Asymmetry requires or invites a higher order of appreciation.

link to full article;

https://aestheticsofliving.substack.com/p/asymmetry-for-emotionally-rich-interior?r=1ljt7m&s=w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

book a consult and find me here https://bio.site/aineatara

Is it that we find things beautiful because we just do, intuitively? Or is it that we have evolved a predilection for beauty because over millennia, our well being, survival even, depended on beauty?

The evolutionary benefits of appreciating beauty are part of the hot new field of neuroaesthetics. These newsletters are dedicated to bringing you the translation of the new evidence based studies into visual explanations of what these theories of aesthetics are, and how you can use them in your own style of living.

This ‘awe effect’, for example, has been studied and the findings give me a wonderful evidence based tool I can use in interior design. I’ll explain;

The studies show that when we experience awe because we are struck by just how beautiful a view is, or how art or music moves us, our bodies feel that. The neurotransmitter dopamine is released and its knock-on anti-inflammatory effects benefit the body’s function and wellness positively. Dopamine is a reward centre player and is central to our well being.

Go to the full article here;

https://aestheticsofliving.substack.com/p/aesthetic-chills-and-the-awe-effect?r=1ljt7m&s=w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

book a consult and find me here https://bio.site/aineatara

Aesthetics are to play with on one level but if you find a genre of décor depressive then it is bad for you! Choose what you love around you and build from there. If you love books and gothic architecture and the vibe of old universities then you can embrace dark academia and make it your own at home.

It isn’t goth in the sense this GenX-er knows goth but it has the gothic colour way and design element sensibility.

As you may be aware, Dark Academia is an aesthetic on social media. For visual reference, here is a sample of the #darkacademiadecor search results on my instagram today...

Link to see the post;

https://aestheticsofliving.substack.com/p/what-is-the-dark-academia-interior?r=1ljt7m&s=w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

book a consult and find me here https://bio.site/aineatara

Does feng shui work?

Nº 03 ：A very quick overview on what to do when, why and how.

Welcome back. Today I’m going to talk to you about feng shui. In its original form, as recorded in ancient China, built structures were observed empirically to understand what was helpful to humans and what wasn’t. How a building was sited in relation to the movement of sun, the surrounding land forms and prevailing winds was observed over hundreds (some say even thousands) of years. Patterns emerged as did theories and many books and treatises were written on what to do and what not to do for human health, prosperity and longevity.

Full full article and images go here;

https://aestheticsofliving.substack.com/p/does-feng-shui-work?r=1ljt7m&s=w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

book a consult and find me here https://bio.site/aineatara